Nationals Farm Authority

Columbus 

• Friday - Defeated Lehigh Valley 4-3 (box/gamer)
• Saturday - Defeated Lehigh Valley 3-2 (box/gamer)
• Sunday - Defeated Lehigh Valley 8-1 (box)

After dropping the series opener, the Clippers bounced back to take the next three games from the IronPigs. On Friday night, RHP Collin Balester evened his record at 2-2, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks over five innings with three strikeouts. The Columbus bullpen shut down Lehigh Valley over the final four innings as LHP Charlie Manning and RHPs Chris Schroder & Brian Sanches allowed only two hits an one walk. LF Elijah Dukes made his first rehab start, going 3/4 with a double and two RBI. 3B Yurendell de Caster hit his first Triple-A home run for the Clippers.

RHP Tyler Clippard had his second straight start without allowing an earned run. Over 6 2/3 innings, Clippard allowed only two hits and one walk while striking out six. After a rough start on April 17, Clippard has gone 18 2/3 innings allowing only three earned runs on seven hits and eight walks with fifteen strikeouts. Schroder picked up his second save of the season allowing two hits and one walk over one inning of work, striking out two. Dukes was 1/4 with a triple and one RBI, 1B Larry Broadway was 1/3 with one RBI and his first home run of 2008.

After a rough first two outings, RHP Jason Bergmann had another strong start to even his record at 2-2. Bergmann threw six shutout innings allowing only three hits and two walks while striking out five. RHPs Dennis Tankersley & Jim Ed Warden and LHP Manning pitched the final three innings allowing only an unearned run. Dukes was 0/2 with a walk before being ejected along with Clippers manager Tim Foli for arguing strikes in the 6th inning. SS Rey Olmedo was 1/3 with two RBI. And, 3B de Caster, 2B/LF Tommy Murphy, RF Alex Escobar, LF/CF Ryan Langerhans, and CA Jesus Flores each had an RBI for the Clippers.

Tonight: RHP Steve Shell (1-0, 2.37) takes the mound as Columbus opens a series with Rochester and RHP Kevin Slowey (0-1, 3.60) at 7:05PM

Harrisburg

• Friday - Defeated Reading 8-2 (box/gamer)
• Saturday - Lost to Reading 6-3 (box/gamer)
• Sunday - Defeated Reading 5-4 (box/gamer)

Harrisburg took the three-game series from Reading with wins on Friday and Sunday. On Friday, CA Luke Montz (1/3 with two runs and three RBI) continued his hot hitting with his seventh home run of the season, a three-run shot in the third. LF Justin Maxwell hit a home run in his second straight game, going 1/3 with two runs. SS Ian Desmond was 2/4 with a home run and three RBI. RF Mike Daniel was 2/4 with a walk. All of this was more than enough for RHP Shairon Martis who moved to 2-0 on the season, allowing only two runs on five hits and three walks over six innings with five strikeouts.

The Senators fell on Saturday as RHP Josh Hall allowed five runs on nine hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings. Montz was 2/5 with a double and two RBI. That game moved Montz to a 0.384 BA and 31 RBI on the season. 3B Ofilio Castro was 2/4 with a double and one RBI.

Harrisburg took the series edging Reading 5-4 on Sunday behind strong pitching from RHP Marco Estrada struck out seven over five innings of work. Estrada allowed only one earned run on four hits and two walks, as he moved to 3-2 on the season. RHP Zech Zinicola picked up his first save in his first appearance for Harrisburg this season, striking out one in one inning of work. LF/1B Andrew Lefave was 2/4 with three runs scored. Over his last ten games played, Lefave is hitting 0.417 with a home run, eight RBI and eight runs scored. Desmond was 2/3 with a home run and four RBI and Daniel was 1/5 with a solo home run.

Tonight: LHP Cory VanAllen (NR) makes his Eastern League debut against Connecticut (pitcher TBD) at 6:05PM

Potomac

• Friday - Defeated Frederick 6-4 (box/gamer)
• Saturday - Lost to Frederick 10-6 (box/gamer)
• Sunday - Lost to Frederick 2-6 (box/gamer)

The bats finally broke out for the P-Nats on Friday as they had ten hits and six runs in a 6-4 win over Frederick on Friday. 1B Chris Marrero was 2/4 with a home run and three RBI; 3B Leonard Davis was 2/4 with a solo home run and two runs scored; and, SS Seth Bynum was 1/3 with a two-run homer. On the mound, the P-Nats saw four pitchers combine to allow four runs on seven hits. RHP Jhonny Nuñez lasted only two innings surrendering two runs on two hits and two walks. RHP Clint Everts & LHP Yunior Novoa combined for the next six innings allowing only one unearned run on five hits and one walk while striking out six. RHP Adam Carr picked up the save with a scoreless inning of relief.

RHP Terrence Engles made his first start for the P-Nats allowing seven runs (though only four earned) on six hits and three walks over two innings of work. LHP Jack Spradlin pitched the next three innigns allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out four. Marrero was 2/5 with a run scored; Davis was 3/5 with a run and RBI; and RF Edgardo Baez was 2/3 with a two-run home run.

LHP Ross Detwiler made the start on Sunday, dropping to 1-2 on the season after giving up four runs on nine hits and a walk over 5 1/3 innings with three strikeouts. RHP Chris Lugo made his 2008 debut for the P-Nats, finishing the game off with the final 3 2/3 innings allowing one earned run on four hits. Marrero hit his second home run of the series.

Notes: OF Francisco Plasencia was promoted to Potomac from Hagerstown. The numbers game does not match for the P-Nats. They have lost four players: Jordan Zimmermann, Cory VanAllen, & Zech Zinicola were promoted to Harrisburg; and OF Steve Doetsch was released. They have added five players: Chris Lugo, Craig Stammen, Terrence Engles, and Joey Norrito along with OF Francisco Plasencia. One spot needs to be opened up (the Norrito move is not noted on the latest release from Potomac)

Tonight: The P-Nats open a road series at Myrtle Beach and RHP Tommy Hanson (3-1, 0.79) at 7:05PM (P-Nats SP TBD)

Hagerstown

• Friday - Defeated West Virginia 12-3 (box/gamer)
• Saturday - Defeated Greensboro 5-4 (box) & 4-3 (box/gamer)
• Sunday - Lost to Greensboro 11-5 (box/gamer)

The Suns bashed their way to a win on Friday. 1B Bill Rhinehart was 2/2 with a home run, three runs scored, and three RBI; DH Aaron Seuss was 3/4 with two doubles, one home run and six RBI; CF Stephen Englund was 1/4 with a solo home run; and, SS Dan Lyons scored four runs. RHP Jeff Mandel picked up the win allowing one run on four hits and two walks over six innings. RHP Edulin Abreu picked up a three-inning save allowing two runs on four hits.

RHP Brad Meyers made his 2008 debut as the Suns won a game suspended from April 27. Meyers allowed two runs on four hits and three walks. RHP Martin Beno picked up the sace with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth. Seuss was 2/4 with two doubles and a run scored. Rhinehart was 2/4 with two RBI. 2B Jake Smolinski was 2/2 with two runs scored.

In the regularly scheduled game, RHP Cole Kimball allowed three runs on four hits and four walks over five innings with six strikeouts. LHP Atahaulpa Severino picked up the win with 2 1/3 shutout innings, walking and striking out two. RHP Kyle Gunderson picked up his first save with a scoreless 1 2/3 innings of relief. Seuss, 3B Steve Souza, DH Francisco Plasencia, and Englund each had an RBI for the Suns.

RHP Colton Willems was roughed up for six runs on nine hits and one walk over four innings. RHP Justin Phillabaum made his 2008 debut for the Suns (no word on corresponding move though it could be in place of Plasencia). Phillabaum allowed two earned runs on three hits and two walks over 2 2/3 innings. Rhinehart was 2/3 with a double and four RBI. Rhinehart hit his fourth homer of the season and now has 27 RBI.

Tonight: RHP Brad Peacock (0-2, 7.94) faces Greensboro RHP Brett Durand (3-0, 4.50) at 6:35PM